It's been almost a year for Irisha and Arisha living in this Empire Malum. After the first house that was not worked out for them, they then decided to buy a house out of Empire Malum's three districts. Slightly far from the capital as it takes 30 minutes with a horse but, much friendlier place than one in the capital. Yes, 'friendlier' for someone like her to live in peace. It is a semi-city residence where the houses have much wider land and the houses quite far from each other but still reachable, It is built up in the flat field and near forest which Irisha and Arisha love so much. They always scheduled the times to visit the forest who is known as not dangerous because it is located near civilization. Even though, Rosan and Haya were grumbled as they concerned about how the security is not that tight in this neighborhood but, the neighbors are all nice to her and Arisha.

" Good Morning!" and as always every morning Arisha will greet the neighbors who they meet with a bright smile of hers. While walking with her usual excitement in the cobblestone road of their residence that leads them to the first gate, and Irisha who is behind her just leads their horse quietly.

" You both always early! Please be careful!" said an old woman who passed them by at the street.

" Okay, grandma!" and Arisha will be the one who greets them first before telling her what did they say to her. Irisha at first quite surprised by how people here treat them differently compared to the first residence they both were in. Of course, at first, they looked so surprised and shocked to know about Irisha's condition, but they also know that Irisha's matter is not their business to meddle in so they decided to leave them be. Then, another reason that Irisha could think about this difference is that this residence is not a kind of residence like she was before. It is a residence where someone with average financial lives. They have it hard to rent a place in the capital so that is why they choose this place. They are too busy with their other business in order to survive in this harsh world, some matters like Irisha's are not for them to care about.

[ Let's go.] she said, as she hold Arisha up and put her into the saddle, then she follows her quite smoothly and ride the horse. It still feels kinda dangerous for her even though they have already done this several times, but miraculously they made it.

' Maybe I should just buy a carriage.' she thought because it is not because it's safer but sometimes, on some occasions, she has to bring documents to the palace. She remembers one time she brought so many things alone from her house to the palace with her horse, Tara was so mad because she was not asked to do it.

Well, Irisha just does not want to do that. Even she knows exactly what position she is in now and what things she could do and buy-but, she just does not want to do it.

" Lisa invites me to go fishing with her parents this weekend, can I go?" asked Arisha while looking back at her. " Lisa also asks you to come too but, if you are not free. Can I go by myself?"

[ What time is it?] asked her.

" They ask me to come in the morning."

and she is silent for a while. [ I think I can take a day off.]

" Really?!"

and she nodded. [ Maybe we should make them special food, what do you think?]

" Yes!" she said brightly, as her eyes sparkle so much. " I will tell Lisa at school!"

[ Okay.] and she could not be happier enough to see how excited and happy her little sister is now. As she then runs inside her academy's gate and will suddenly be surrounded by many others children. Even in the palace or even in their residence, Arisha easily attracts many people.

' She is so popular.' she said and somehow she grows too fast if she could also add that, but, even it is quite melancholic and sad, Irisha will be happily looking forward to that. Because, in the end, there is no other purpose in her life other than to provide Arisha with a good life.

' I hope you will always smile happily like that.'

Because it is her only wish. It is the reason why she still keeps going until now. She, who was not expecting anything as a deaf and mute in this kind of world ended up putting all of her best to be able to stand in this point. Of course, is not a simple matter, never once it becomes a simple matter. The obstacles she faced until this point was drained her energy and brain to the point that she was always wanted to scream it all out.

Even now, when she is now talking in the meeting with high businessmen who are being invited under Imperial's name.... There will be always people from one of them, who are still not fond of the fact that she, as a woman, leads them in this agreement.

" Are you trying to disgrace me? To give a woman who is deaf and mute as the representative?" of course she could not hear him, but she could imagine how loud he is now as his face red so much while Tara tries to talk with him.

And their disgusted faces toward her who is now just sitting are always amazing. She is somehow quite proud of herself who is now still so composed despite the hectic situation. It might be because something like this is not once or twice happening to her to the point that she could not even care more about it.

" If you still act like this I will call the guards," said Tara.

" You shut up you woman!" and the old man with his boiled face grabbed Tara's collar who make Irisha stands up. " It is because women like you who do not know your place and position our world now start to crumble! "

" What do you mean by that?! Let me go, I have authority to put you in jail, sir!"

and he laughs, " Who is the man with authority you've seduced to make you so arrogant to say that?" while he then is looking toward Tara feminine's parts and smirks disgustingly. " ... Your body is not that worth it to someone tho-"

SLAP!!

And Tara loses her control. As she slapped the old man to his cheeks and makes him now look at her in anger, he puts his hand up and is ready to hit Tara but Irisha pushes her instead and she thuds quite far as the man's power is so strong.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

" GUARD!" and Tara screams at that moment when the guards suddenly come inside.

and the man still laughs, " What do you want to do? I am the owner of the land your empire desperately wanted. So pick this whores and bring me other men to finish this fucking annoying business." said the man ignoring how Tara glared at him intensely.

" Arrest him!" she said. Where the guards look at her who help Irisha to stand.

" Arrest him!" and one of them yells as they catch the man's hand to his back in a second while the man tries to rebel and scream.

" YOU CAN NOT DO THIS TO ME!"

" I AM THE LORD!"

" I WILL KILL YOU-"

and he still screams all the way to the hall and leaves the meeting hall in silence. As the other men involved in this meeting were confused as they do not expect this treatment will be applied to someone like them.

'...I can't hear all of it,' and Irisha feels so tired to try to understand it by only seeing their disturbing expression.

" Are you okay?" and Tara asked her while putting her handkerchief to her cheek.

and she smiles and just tries to keep the smile longer. While standing and ignoring the fact that she becomes sick with this kind of incident. [ They are all outside Empire Malum, so maybe they do not understand our courtesy.]

" ... Let's just think about yourself firs-"

[ Tell them, that we will cancel the meeting and will proceed with the other one after they send us the letter of agreement.]

and Tara stopped to talk with her, as she then do what Irisha said while letting her go out of the meeting hall alone. Tara does not try to accompany her as she could see, how Irisha always tries to force the smile if she with another person. After a long time working as her assistant, and after several times witnessed when this kind of incident occurred. She never sees Irisha let out her anger or cry.

" You are not okay, are not you?" and one day, after this similar situation happened Tara asked her who casually continue her work.

and Irisha just smiled, while saying. [ I am okay.] as she was accepting all of it, while Tara could tell how she just forced herself to do so. Because even the incident never was attacked Tara personally, she always felt so hurt whenever she had to see the one who is so kind and sincere to whoever around her had to be treated like this way.

"... but what can I do?" as she feels so miserable and her heart aching because she could not do anything more than.... doing nothing. " You are not allowing me to help you..."

.

.

.

" You are a sinner."

" You are the one who murdered them."

" YOU ARE A MURDERER!'"

and she gasped as she hear so vividly the scream of the woman in her nightmare. She closes her eyes tightly and opens it in a hurry as she wants the image to disappear from her sight. Yet, her hands trembling so hard as the handkerchief fall down from her cheek. Her sweat drips and she is losing her power on her knees.

' I know, I am the sinner and yes, I am the murderer.'

but even so, it is really hard to live while the pain is so unbearable like this. The heart that is filled with the screams she wants to let out so bad, piled. The anger inside her who she can not lavish hurts her so bad. It's hard to even breathe. The tears can not even drip.

And when she sees the blood drips into the floor, she closes her eyes.

" This is your punishment." and the woman covered with blood, smirks, as nausea attacks her throat while a sudden movement wakes her up.

" IRISHA!" and the golden eyes, who look at her straight are the last things she remembers before she passed out.

***

.

.

" Both Sir Higrid and Sir Asthon agreed with Ms.Irisha about this matter, so that is why the meeting is being held. It is about the land that they could use in order to support the trading business," said Ray while standing behind the man who is now sitting in front of his own bed who is being used now by Irisha.

He suddenly came back to the royal palace while holding her in his embrace, asked for a specific Imperial physician to be called out. Then when the Imperial Physician arrived in confusion, the Imperial Physician said something he could not understand.

" It seems her trauma triggered the episode," she said nervously. " ... I always try to approach her after I told her about her situation. From that time, she always avoids me."

Then when she anxiously looked at the crown prince who just staring at the woman. She said, " For a patient like her, I need her to want to treat her illness. It has to come from her will. If we force her, it will only complicate things."

and Ray could just say that this woman who is now contributing so much to the state, hides something only several people know about it. Which one of them is the well-known wicked crown prince who never ever did something to someone like this.

" Tell Derik to send troops to that proud man land."

" Pardon?" asked him shocked.

but the man just goes silent before Ray then nodded. " As your wish, Your Grace." while holding back the pain because of the pheromone that is now attacking him harshly, before then he excuses himself.

Castra then puts his hand gently and brushes the brunette hairs of hers that feel so smooth in his hand. The calming sound of her breathing and the sweet scent of hers... so engaging as he could not stop doing what he is doing right now.

But, then her eyes slowly open in confusion while suddenly waking her body up who then gives her a sudden headache. Makes her reflexively hold her head. Castra holds her who is swaying and almost falls in second- smoothly, while his other hand reaches out the glass of water that Ray has prepared on the bedside table.

" Drink this first," he said, without sign language but Irisha still understand.

and while she calms down, Castra looks at her who tries to explore and observe the situation just she always be. [ Where am I?] while giving away the glass of drink that he picks up for her.

" My room." and she looks confused. " You fainted, and I brought you here."

[ Why did you bring me to your room instead infirmary?]

" No one could help you in there anyway," he said while giving the serious expression Irisha never ever face, " You also don't want everyone to know about it, even though, they do eventually."

and she looks at him in confusion, [ What are you talking about?] while confusedly looking at him who then touches her cheek gently,

" You suffer from hemopobhia," he said, which makes her stiffen while looking at him straightly " You will get the episode if you are triggered by high stress or blood and that was what happened to you now."

and Irisha seems to need time to understand it as she looked so shocked with what he said. Yet, slowly the expression soften. [ How could you know?]

" How am I not? even the man who always beside you before know about it." and he rubs her cheeks gently, " Just go, find the cure."

[ It is not your business, Your Grace.] she said, while she brushes his hand slowly.

" Then you want to live this way?"

[ I don't have an issue-]

and he laughed, " Sure. There is none." he said sarcastically. "... it may be me only now, but how if Arisha-"

[ I don't want!] and she looked at him in fury he had never ever seen. So, he chooses silence while looking at the woman who is now glaring at him. [ I am not crazy! I don't need to meet someone, there is nothing wrong with me-] and even she does not scream nor let her voice out, the anger was so real to the point it makes her fragile body lose her control.

She then holds her head so tight as it is hurt her so much.

" Ssh, it's okay." and he hugs her, and lets her rest in his embrace while giving her water and a sedative pill.

Then, she who is gripping his clothes tightly to help her release the pain she felt, slowly loosens her hand and falls asleep. He then gently lies her down, while caressing her head with his hand gently as he tries so hard to protect this woman.

" No one can't hurt you," he muttered as the memories of the paled woman with blood dripping in the edge of her thin lips and the anger with the pain she had just shown replayed in his mind. As he then touches her healed lips with his thumb and whispered near her ear. " No one ... even yourself, Irisha."

***